Suspicions
by librikolibri
Summary: Gray, on Natsu and Lucy and things he isn't sure he wants to know.


**Suspcions**

 _Gray, on Natsu and Lucy and things he isn't sure he wants to know._

###

The first time Gray suspects that Natsu is not as innocent as he seems is when he catches him staring at Lucy's bust. Gray blinks, a little unsure of what exactly that means, and already Natsu is looking elsewhere, probably having spotted the beginning of a new guild brawl because the next moment he is attacking Elfman with flaming fists and before Gray can even make sense of what has just maybe happened, he is already being dragged into the orderly chaos of Fairy Tail by a table being thrown at him. On this day, Gray both forms and drops the accusation that his longtime frienemy is really just as drawn to boobs as the rest of the male population of Fiore in under sixty seconds.

.

Somehow, the incident comes to his mind again when he notices how often Lucy ends up naked when she's with Natsu. Or rather, how often Natsu is there where a naked Lucy is. He'll admit that he's been with the flame-breathing idiot in some of those situations, but that doesn't even compare the number of times Lucy's screeches are heard because she's naked and Natsu is there. He'd really rather not know those little tidbits, especially if his assumption is correct, but there is no escaping Mira's information network and her endless spreading of the newest gossip (he supposes that's how barmaids are supposed to be like, but he can't be too sure). Also, Natsu ends up groping Lucy too often for it to be simple coincidence. Gray is still not quite sure what it all means, because he simply can't open his mind to the idea of Natsu having enough libido to be attracted to someone, much less Lucy (it's only her Natsu acts like this around), because Lucy is cute and smart and totally out of Natsu's league. (But Gray also notices that Lucy looks at Natsu differently than at everyone else, although that is something he can't quite understand, too – how can anyone be attracted to someone with pink hair?). Gray chalks those occurrences up to simple coincidence and Lucy's bad luck.

.

The next time he's not so sure anymore, because he just witnessed firsthand one of the groping-happenings and he's freaking sure that there's no way this was a coincidence or whatever. Because the way Natsu was standing he would have never landed face first in Lucy's boobs, hands on her waist dangerously close to her backside, if he hadn't tried to. But then Lucy screeches and Natsu asks what's wrong in a tone that Gray can't describe as anything else than innocent. This time is therefore labeled as a freak incident and nothing, _nothing_ more.

.

Gray has to rethink his opinion of Natsu. He's been completely caught off guard by the dragonslayer's innocent charade, because by the way Natsu and Lucy were grinding into each other the alleyway before, sucking face while at it, they're both anything _but_ innocent. Gray thinks he might be scarred for life, because the sight of his two teammates humping the brains out of each other was more than a little disturbing. He doesn't think he can sleep today, or face Natsu and Lucy tomorrow for that matter. After years of thinking Natsu didn't know what a dick was for, Gray can't adjust to the reality that, in fact, Natsu has way more of a sex-life than he himself has and he's stripping at every opportunity (granted, he doesn't do it on purpose, but still). This time, Gray doesn't label it as coincidence or freak accident, because he knows the truth and it feels like a bucket of cold water over his head.

.

Now that Gray knows what's really going on (except he doesn't, he has no idea if they're dating or going down the route of friends with benefits) it's getting extremely hard to ignore the situation. Somehow, Natsu and Lucy seem to manage to do each other in the back of the guild, the alleyways of Magnolia, the forest on the walk home after a mission or the toilet of a train (doesn't Natsu get motion sickness? Gray has never figured out how they do that one). It's distracting and sickening to know that every time they're sneaking away, they're probably sneaking away to do that. (For someone who's always so big on propriety, Lucy doesn't seem to mind sex in public places at all. He's blaming it on Natsu for now). Gray thinks he really ought to ask Erza to knock him out for some days – it would get him some quiet back.

.

Gray is drinking. He isn't usually one for much alcohol, he prefers to leave that to Cana. But at the moment, he doesn't think he can get rid of his problems in any other way. It's been a long mission and they've gotten back late, so late that he managed to fall asleep right away. But because of that the images are resurfacing stronger. Gray groans. He didn't think it possible before this mission that he could walk in on Natsu and Lucy that much, but he did and _they never even noticed_. Gray is just glad he never saw much, but what he saw is already disturbing enough. He doesn't think he can stomach being in the same team as the two lovebirds any longer if this continues (he already knows he'll stay on the team, but he can complain alright). As he thinks those thoughts, lo and behold the couple themselves comes in, all grins and linked hands and happiness. Maybe they'll finally tell everyone they're dating. At least then he'll be finally able to tell them just what he feels about them getting wayyy to cozy in public spaces. But before he can say anything, Lucy lifts her hand and the whole guild erupts into squeals and cheers. Gray spits his beer out. There's a ring. There's a fucking ring on Lucy's fourth finger. And what's worse, the guild doesn't seem one bit surprised. In fact, there's congratulations and lewd comments and _what the hell is going on?_

"Mira?" He starts slowly, disbelievingly. "That's an engagement ring, right?"

The demonic barmaid turns to him.

"Isn't it great? Natsu finally proposed."

Gray doesn't know what irritates him more – the 'finally' or 'Natsu' and 'propose' in the same sentence. He thinks he's probably making a very confused face, scratch that, he's definitely making a very confused face, because Mira notices the way he doesn't understand the situation. At all.

"Ara, Gray, didn't you know? They've been dating for more than two years."

He's had the clues, Gray thinks. This shouldn't surprise him, he thinks. He should have seen it coming, he thinks. But he fucking didn't and the fact that Natsu not only seems to understand sex but also the inner workings of women (or rather, Lucy) enough to get his teammate to agree to get hitched makes Gray plant his face into the wooden table.

He gives up.


End file.
